KATHMANDU, Oct 15: The senior- most justice of the Supreme Court (SC), Deepak Raj Joshee, skipped a tea reception hosted by Chief Justice (CJ) Om Prakash Mishra at his official residence in Baluwatar on Sunday.
“Despite receiving the invitation, Joshee did not show up at the tea reception where most of the apex court judges and the legal luminaries were invited,” a source at the SC told Republica.
Lack of conservation area for rare tea plant
There is a tradition of hosting a tea reception on the occasion of the Dashain festival by the CJ that is attended by the senior-most justice and the other justices of the apex court and the judges of the subordinate courts.
Joshee left Baluwatar after he was rejected by the Parliamentary Hearings Committee (PHC) for the post of CJ two months ago after staying there for five months as the acting CJ.
Former chief justices, sitting SC justices, chief judges and judges of the high courts, judges of district courts, NBA president, legal luminaries, and former attorney generals attended the tea reception.
“It is a practice to host a tea reception and now it's my turn to do so. I would like to extend my best wishes for your good health and prosperity on the occasion of Dashain, Tihar, Nepal Sambat and Chhath festivals,” Mishra said while addressing the reception.
Those attending the tea reception showed concerns over the conspicuous absence of Joshee who resumed as the senior-most justice of the SC even after being rejected as CJ by the PHC on August 3.
